8/14/2019 What to Do When You Are Unhappy

1/3

What To Do When You Are Unhappy

Feeling unhappy, depressed, lonely? Are you missing someone, feeling dejected ornursing a broken heart? Pull yourself up and get your act together for no one can solveyour depression but you.

Forget about alcohol, cigarettes and other artificial anti-depressants. They will just leaveyou more depressed when their temporary effects lose their efficacy on you. The thing todo is analyze and find the root of your unhappiness so that you can deal with it in a moredirect and rational way. And stop feeling like a victim. Take heart because as Dr. RobertAnthony says, "The only people without problems are in cemeteries."

So what do you do when you are unhappy? Snap out of it, that's what!

1. Keep Busy. An idle mind is the devil's playground. Keep your mind busy - lose yourself in aninteresting book or an engaging movie. Keep your body busy - take a brisk walk,workout at the gym or enroll in a dance class. Moving the body increases the flow ofyour endorphins giving you an energizing natural high. And consider fighting for a cause- it will provide you a strong rallying point and a profound reason for being.

2. Be In The Company Of Others.Solitude amplifies misery. Being with other people and being exposed to their own shareof problems or successes will take your mind away from whatever is depressing you.Choose to be with positive and fun-loving people. Have a great laugh by sharing sillyjokes, enjoy a pleasant concert at the park or simply go malling - that should be enoughto get you tired and make you pine for a good night's sleep instead of spending latehours dwelling on your problems.

3. Develop Your Passions And Talents.Concentrate on something you love doing. Whether it is knitting, cross-stitching,playing a musical instrument, singing, painting, indulging in a sport or flower arranging,devote your time on a passion you enjoy doing most. Aside from taking your mind offyour troubles, you get to hone your talents and skills as well as make productive use ofyour time.

4. Write Down A Letter To Yourself.This may sound crazy but it works. Write down what you are unhappy about and why;then list down some possible solutions to solve or alleviate it. Be gentle and caring with

your words. Tell yourself that you are concerned about you and that you will doeverything in your power to make you happy and full of joy again. Always rememberthat you are your own best man.

5. Make A Gratitude List.Top TV host Oprah Winfrey encourages people to keep a gratitude journal - a dailylisting of things that make life wonderful, no matter how insignificant. Most often it isreally the little things that go unnoticed in life that count - our breath, a gentle touch, a

8/14/2019 What to Do When You Are Unhappy

2/3

kind word. Make a list of "What's good about my life right now" and be grateful for it.This will make you count your blessings instead of crying over your miseries.

6. Trick Yourself By Focusing On Another Emotion Or Desire.Shift your attention away from whatever is causing your unhappiness. Focus your

attention on that gorgeous Sonia Rykiel ensemble, Manolo Blahnik shoes or even thosestunning hazel contact lenses you've been desiring to wear; try that luscious osso buccoat that pricey Italian restaurant; get an energizing full body accupressure massage; orembark on the dream cruise you've been longing to take. Escape your unhappiness -focus on something else that brings you even just momentary joy.

7. Make Someone Else Happy.What can cure unhappiness? Happiness, of course. And one of the best ways to makeyourself happy is to make somebody else happy. Do a good deed for someone, feed astreetchild, visit and bring fruits to your grandma, treat your driver's family to a fully-paid day of entertainment, console a friend who is in worse condition than you are.When you give happiness, you will get it back a thousandfold. You will even find out thatyou are so much luckier than most people.

8. Meditate.Forget everything momentarily and just concentrate on your breath. Gently close youreyes and let your mind float on the soft blackness that you see. Breathe in and out slowlyand regularly and focus on the life-giving movement and sound of the air as you inhaleand exhale. After a while in this induced semi-alpha state, empty your mind of allnegativities and thoughts. Meditate on the wonder of having nothing in your mind - justthe awe-inspiring miracle of your being alive.

9. Find A Best Friend Or Confidante.

In moments of great stress or depression, we all need a listening ear to pour our troublesto and a comforting shoulder to cry on. Have a best friend who is sympathetic and trulycares for you, a soulmate you can open up to who will help you unload your cares andrelease your worries. Understanding and supportive friends give you strength when youneed it most but always remember to return the favor when they too need your help.

10. Get A Pet Or Nurture A Plant.In the concrete jungle of the city, it is sometimes hard to find a soulmate who hasunlimited time to devote to you. If you need unconditional companionship of someoneor something you can talk you, get a pet or nurture a plant. A playful goldfish, a gracefulfeline, a loyal dog, a furry hamster or a growing plant will provide you live

companionship in moments of loneliness. Feeding and caring for them awaken yournurturing emotions and remind you of the interdependency of all creation. You will alsorealize your worth and the difference you can make in the world.

11. Fall In Love.Love is the cure-all, the panacea for all of man's cares and woes. Love is the mostpositive and uplifting feeling that can make even your worst problems seeminsignificant, your greatest challenges surmountable. Love gives you a deeper reason to

8/14/2019 What to Do When You Are Unhappy

3/3

emancipate yourself from whatever is making you unhappy. But make sure you don't fallin love just to escape your troubles. Weigh everything first before making any solidcommitments to be fair to the other person. Yes, love can make you well, love can makeit right, love truly conquers all.

12. Pray.Praying is a very potent antidote for problems, loneliness and inner pain. To be effective,prayers must be heartfelt and repetitive because the subconscious mind works throughrepetition. That's why most established praying (like the rosary and mantra chanting)are almost hypnotically repetitious. It is the mental and spiritual imprinting (radicalscall it brainwashing) that makes a prayer powerful. With it, you gain great emotionaland spiritual strength and establish that much-needed connection to your soul.